UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING DECEMBER 3, 2018 ROME …...Schultz PRESENTATION on a motion to amend the...

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UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING DECEMBER 3, 2018

ROME BALLROOM, STORRS CAMPUS

Moderator Siegle called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m.

1. Moderator Siegle called for a motion to approve the November 5, 2018 minutes.Senator Long made a motion to approve. The motion was seconded by SenatorOrtega.

MINUTES PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

Moderator Siegle noted a change to the agenda. The Report from the Scholastic Standards Committee was pulled from the agenda.

2. Report of the PresidentPresented by Provost Craig Kennedy

President Herbst sent regrets for being unable to attend. She provided no report, but asked Provost Kennedy to pass along an update on the search for President from Board of Trustees chair, Thomas Kruger. The search for President is progressing according to the schedule as originally prescribed. The Board Chair and Advisory Search Committee are impressed with the pool of candidates. The full advisory committee will meet with finalist in the coming weeks. Senator Freake serves on the Advisory Search Committee, and all members of the Senate Executive Committee have participated in the process. Searches are confidential to attract the strongest pool. The appointment of the next President of UConn is expected to be made at the end of January or early February.

Senator Freake requested an update on the two ongoing searches for deans. Provost Kennedy informed the Senate that they finished interviewing four individuals each for the Deans of CAHNR and CLAS. There were strong candidates for both deanships. Feedback was solicited from a broad range of constituencies. Provost Kennedy is in negotiations for the CAHNR position and hopes to have an announcement at the end of the week. He is currently engaged in discussions with a candidate for CLAS and will have information to share about that position within the coming weeks.

3. Report of the Senate Executive Committee

Presented by SEC Chair Hedley Freake

There were no questions.

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4. Consent Agenda Items:

Report of the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee

Moderator Siegle asked if any Senator wished to remove any items from the

Consent Agenda.

Senator Bedore requested to remove MCB 3841W, which was included in error.

AGENDA ITEMS, AS REVISED, PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

5. Report from the General Education Oversight Committee presented by Senator Eric

Schultz

PRESENTATION on a motion to amend the By-Laws, Rules and Regulations of the

University Senate II.C.2 (General Education)

The proposed changes reflect the concerted efforts, mostly over the past year, of

three Senate Committees: General Education Oversight, Courses & Curricula, and

Scholastic Standards.

Senator Clausen inquired why the committee struck, or perhaps moved, language

about the purpose of general education. The current language changed the previous

statement substantially, reducing it to one sentence.

Senator Schultz provided assurance that the committee did not mean to suggest it

was abandoning the statement of purpose. Instead, they felt the language would be

best posted as policy. To this end, it will appear as policy on the website, but will not

be included as a rule or regulation. Senator Schultz noted he expects the language

will change substantially as ∆GenEd does its work.

Senator Berkowitz requested verification that the language consistently specifies

that writing competency requirements can be fulfilled by taking courses at the 2000-

level or above.

The consistency of language was confirmed.

Senator Clausen provided a minor note of correction, that the mark up edits do not

read same way as the proposed language in one section.

Senator Schultz thanked Senator Clausen for sharing that correction.

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Moderator Siegle reminded Senators that they will vote on the report at the

February 4, 2019 Senate meeting.

Provost Kennedy asked to make an announcement. He asked Jennifer Lease Butts,

Assistant Vice Provost for Enrichment Programs and Director of the Honors Program,

to share an exciting development related to an amazing student.

Vice Provost Butts was pleased to announce that UConn student, Akshayaa

Chittibabu, won the Marshall Fellowship for next year. She was one of 48 scholars in

the country; she was one of twelve from New England and the only recipient from a

public institution. Ms. Chittibabu is the fifth recipient in UConn history, and the

fourth since 2009. Chittibabu’s first year will be spent at the University of Oxford,

where she will pursue a M.Sc. in sociology. Her second year will be at the University

of Edinburgh, where she will study medical anthropology. The full story is in UConn

Today: https://today.uconn.edu/2018/12/uconn-senior-wins-prestigious-marshall-

scholarship/. Dr. Butts congratulated Dr. Vin Moscardelli, Director of the Office of

National Scholarships & Fellowships, on this proud moment.

6. Report of the University Libraries

Presented by Anne Langley, Dean of the University Libraries

Senator Long expressed that the administration of the University is fond of citing

rankings. More distressing are the ranking of the Library, which is #61 in size of its

collection. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, it is #65 for

funding/budgets. Senator Long asked what strategic plan is in place to remedy or

improve the ranking.

Dean Langley replied that the rankings are based on investment--how much you

spend on collections and staffing. They are investment indexes. One of her very first

meetings was with the Provost to talk about the Library budget document. She sees

the rankings as how much money you are spending, not what you are doing for the

University. She believes value is not in how much money you spend, but how you

use the resources available to you. The rankings are a bit of an arms race; we need

to worry about what we do, not how we compare to other libraries. She is not so

concerned about rankings, but in meeting the needs of UConn.

Senator Terni discussed the rankings and how they relate to the University. As an

example of this relationship, Senator Terni noted the decrease in interlibrary loan

investment. The dramatic decrease in library staff coincided with an increasing

number of students at the University. We now have much less access to interlibrary

loan. This is not just a perception issue; we are at a point where some areas of

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research, especially international, cannot even find out to what they are not getting

access. Senator Terni asked how we can get precise measurements and draw in

disciplinary input.

Dean Langley replied that Senator Terni raised good points, to which she agreed. Her

assessment was that the Library had been standing alone prior to her arrival, and

not paying close attention to what was happening at UConn. She would like to see

the Library insinuate itself into all parts of the University. Through the generosity of

Peter Diplock and CETL, the Library now has a new staff member. Susanna Cowan is

the Library’s new Coordinator for Library Research and Assessment. She will help the

Library to be more evidence based in decision making. She will probably talk to all

departments at the University to find out what they want and how they want the

Library to improve. Dean Langley will include this information in the strategic

planning process.

Senator Makowsky shared similar concerns to Senator Terni, who mentioned

interlibrary loan. She shared that a while ago, faculty shared concerns about the

elimination of support for faculty reserving materials for courses. Because this

support is no longer provided by the Library, faculty have to do more work.

Dean Langley replied that no one has asked her this question before. She will look

into it and get an answer.

Sen Schultz expressed that he thought the text was provocative. He asked what the

statement means that says the Library is, “An entity that manages the intellectual

and scholarly output of the University.”

Dean Langley replied that she truly thinks the Library is a place that stores as much

intellectual output as it possibly can and obtains additional information. It is the

Library’s job to organize information, and make it available and accessible in this

digital age.

Senator Schultz responded that he thinks of academic journals as where output is

disseminated.

Dean Langley replied that for some fields it is journals, but in others it could be

scores, digital objects, items in special collections, etc. She likes to think in terms

that every field has its ethnography of information.

Senator McCutcheon thanked Dean Langley for offering excellent access to online

journals. He asked Dean Langley to comment on the long-term viability of keeping

those subscriptions active. Does she see costs rising or changes in way we get the

information? Senator McCutcheon referenced the European Commission’s open

access policy.

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Dean Langley said that one of the reasons she talked about open access initiatives is

because that is one area where she thinks we need to be more active at UConn.

More than 200 universities have open access policies. That is one way we can start to

change the landscape. There is not one answer. Journal prices will go up. They have

increased ~800% in the digital age.

Senator McCutcheon stated that there are copyright issues that come with having to

give copyright to for-profit publishers. He is also worried about cutting journals.

Dean Langley said that the Library has not had to cut thus far. The Provost gave the

Library a generous increase to protect collections last year.

7. New Business

Senator McCutcheon said that members of the School of Engineering brought to his attention that the Provost is planning a review of the School of Engineering. He asked the Provost for more information. He has never seen this done before. Provost Kennedy replied that the two institutions he has come from did things like this on a regular basis. His perception is that the School of Engineering has gone through pretty amazing changes to infrastructure in the last few years. He wants to bring in a few individuals from near-aspirant institutions to look at what we are doing and give us ideas and suggestions on where we can go. These will be individuals and experts from other institutions with leadership experience. This is for process improvement; there are no negative implications. Senator McCutcheon replied that he has never heard of this at other institutions. He asked if reviews will be done for other schools and colleges. Provost Kennedy said that we are doing this for Engineering now because of the infrastructure growth. He will look at the results from engineering and the opportunities we gain from this. Based on the results, he would be open to doing this in other schools.

A motion to adjourn was made by Senator Long and seconded by Senator McManus.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:59 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jill Livingston

Head of Library Research Services

Secretary of the University Senate

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SENATE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Hedley Freake, Chair Carol Atkinson-Palombo Pam Bramble Karen Bresciano Nancy Bull Gary English Debra Kendall Jaci Van Heest Veronica Makowsky Justin Fang Nandan Tumu

The following members were absent from the December 3, 2018 meeting: Accorsi, Michael Heath-Johnston, Pamela* Wilson, Cristina* Barnes-Farrell, Janet Herbst, Susan* Zurolo, Mark Barrett, Edith Holsinger, Kent* Baumbauer, Kyle* Kendig, Tysen Bramble, Pamela* Korbel, Donna* Bresciano, Karen* Magley, Vicki Britner, Preston* Maric, Radenka Cetegen, Baki McElya, Micki Chandy, John* Pratto, Felicia* Chen, Ming-Hui* Rubega, Margaret* Curry, Erin Sanchez, Lisa D’alleva, Anne Seth, Anji* Deans, Tom Shor, Leslie* Fitch, R. Holly Wei, Mei Gibson, George, Willenborg, Michael* Gilbert, Michael Wilson, Christine* *Members who gave advance notice of absence

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Senate Executive Committee Report to the University Senate

December 3, 2018

Good Afternoon, The Senate Executive has met twice since our last Senate meeting. On November 16, we met with committee chairs to set the agenda for this meeting. We also met privately with Provost Kennedy. The Scholastic Standards Committee has been met with several issues relating to the implementation of awarding additional majors across schools/colleges, including technical challenges from the Registrar’s office and organizational concerns from the schools and colleges. Resolving these issues will take some time and input from various resources across campus. In consultation with the Provost’s Office, the decision has been made to delay implementation until fall 2020. The provost has agreed to form an implementation task force to work through the challenges in order to meet the new date. The circumstances and timing of the additional majors issue has brought to light the need for better communication within and from the University Senate. In reviewing this issue, the SEC has identified two areas that may well help us avoid similar challenges in the future. 1. The agenda packet for University Senate meetings is distributed several days in advance of the meeting. Senators are strongly encouraged to review this information, discuss with their constituents and come to the meeting with questions, concerns or recommendations for updates. We are a university senate with faculty, staff and students working side by side with administrators. The dialogue on the floor of the senate is an opportunity to share the voice of your constituency. 2. The Scholastic Standards has created a sub-committee to explore ways of better communicating directly with schools/colleges and departments when considering changes to by-laws, policies and procedures. An example of improved communication efforts can be found in the SSC’s recent proposal to bring greater systemization for Research and Experiential course numbering. SSC Chair Veronica Makowsky reached out directly to the C&C Chairs of each school & college for their feedback on the proposal. Work will continue in the area of improving communication. We appreciate all the time and attention each of our Senators gives to this effort. On November 30, the SEC met with Senate representatives to the Board of Trustees. Again, communication was a key topic of discussion as we strategized way in which communication can be improved between the Senate and Board. We then met with senior administration. The SEC was recently asked to join the Provost’s Office and OIRE in meeting with an outside firm who will be hired to complete a faculty pay equity analysis. We understand the AAUP will also be involved. The firm hired to assist with this process specializes in human resource issues in higher education. This process will include heavy faculty involvement and is expected to move fairly quickly. We will share more information with the Senate when available.

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Vice-President for Student Affairs Michael Gilbert discussed a new first year residency requirement that will be implemented at UCONN beginning in fall 2019. He explained that until recently UCONN has not needed and would have had difficulty implementing such a requirement. Off campus housing options have grown greatly and swiftly resulting in the ability to consider such a policy. Research suggests that first year residency results in higher student success rates in many areas. To begin, traditional freshman new to the university and students moving from a regional campus to Storrs will be required to live on campus. Full aid scholarship student athletes are also being considered for inclusion. There are some circumstances when an exemption will be allowed. The handout Dr. Gilbert shared at the SEC meeting is available through the Senate office. Scott Jordan shared details regarding the newly reorganized Department of Public Safety. This department now consolidates three areas – Environmental Health & Safety, Environmental Compliance and Fire Marshall/Building Inspection. The department will be led by Hans Rhynhart who now holds the title of Associate Vice President of Public Safety. He reports to the Office of the EVP/CFO with a dotted line to the Vice President of Research. Radenka Maric shared sponsored program activity for Quarter 1, FY2017-FY2019 which showed growth, particularly at the health center. Kent Holsinger noted that collective bargaining talks have begun for post doc research. Nathan Fuerst’s group is watching numbers closely as the December 1 priority applicate date has just passed. Handouts highlighting activity in their departments were shared by Tysen Kendig and Laura Cruickshank. Again, these are available through the Senate office. Today we will have a first reading of proposed revisions to the General Education by-laws, largely to include the Environmental Literacy requirement and to bring them in accord with current practice. The revisions have been discussed and vetted by the GEOC, Senate Curricula and Courses and Senate Scholastic Standards Committees. The SEC wishes to thank Eric Schultz and the many people who have worked so hard to bring these necessary changes forward. We will also hear from Dean Langley with a report on the University Libraries. The next Senate meeting will be held on February 4, 2019. At that meeting, Vice-Provost John Volin will offer the annual report on Undergraduate Education and Instruction. As this is the last University Senate meeting of the semester, the SEC extends holiday wishes to all and hopes for a restful break. Respectfully submitted, Hedley Freake, Chair Senate Executive Committee

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University Senate Curricula and Courses Committee

Report to the Senate

December 3, 2018

I. The Senate Curricula and Courses Committee recommends approval to ADD the following

1000- or 2000-level courses:

A. ENGL 2001 Grant Writing (#4102)

Proposed Catalog Copy

ENGL 2001. Introduction to Grant Proposal Writing

Three credits. Prerequisite: ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011.

An introduction to the basics of grants and grant proposal writing, including the purpose of

writing grant proposals, grant opportunities available to undergraduates, and features of

successful grant proposals. Requires submission of a grant proposal.

B. ECON 2103 Honors Core: Deep Roots of Modern Societies (#7371)


ECON 2103. Honors Core: Deep Roots of Modern Societies

Three Credits. Prerequisites: ECON 1200 or both ECON 1201 and 1202. Not open for credit to

students who have passed ECON 3103.

Historical and comparative analysis of deep-rooted issues affecting modern societies. The

evolution of societies and the origins of poverty, discrimination, conflict and war, income

inequality, gender roles, and other challenging issues.

C. MCB 1200 Virus Hunter (#8176)


MCB 1200. Virus Hunters.

Four credits. Two 50-minute lectures with two 3-hour lab periods and additional laboratory

follow-up time as needed. Not open for credit to students who have passed MCB 1895 when

taught as ‘Virus Hunting Laboratory.’

Introduction to the biology of bacterial viruses (phages). Isolation from the environment and

characterization of a novel phage for sequencing in MCB 1201. Data from this classroom-based

research experience will be shared in a nationwide program fostering discovery-based

undergraduate research. May be taken before or after MCB 1201 for students choosing both

classes.

II. The Senate Curricula and Courses Committee recommends approval to REVISE the

following 1000- or 2000-level courses:

A. AIRF 2000 Air Force Studies IIa (#6549) [Revise course number, title, and description]

Current Catalog Copy

AIRF 2000. Air Force Studies IIa

One credit. One class period and one 2-hour laboratory period. Intended for freshmen and

sophomores.

Air power from balloons through World War II; principles of war; development of

communication skills.

Revised Catalog Copy

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Senate Courses and Curricula Committee Report December 3, 2018 p. 2

AIRF 2000. Team and Leadership Fundamentals

One credit. One class period and a two-hour laboratory.

Foundation for teams and leadership on a personal level and within a team. The two-hour

laboratory period is for cadets only.

B. AIRF 2200 Air Force Studies IIb (#6550) [Revise course number, title, and description]


AIRF 2200. Air Force Studies IIb

One credit. One class period and one 2-hour laboratory period. Intended for freshmen and

sophomores.

Air power from Cold War into the 21st Century; development of military communication skills.


AIRF 2200. Team and Leadership Fundamentals

One credit. One class period and a two-hour laboratory.

Team and leadership fundamentals to include listening, followership, problem solving and

conflict management. The two-hour laboratory period is for cadets only.

C. AASI/AMST 3201 Introduction to Asian American Studies (#8296) [level change to 2000]


AASI 3201. Introduction to Asian American Studies

(Also offered as AMST 3201.) Three credits. Prerequisite: Open to juniors or higher. Machida

A multidisciplinary introduction to major themes in Asian American Studies. Concepts of

identity and community, migration and labor histories, Asians and the law, representations of

Asians in visual and popular culture, gender issues, interracial and interethnic relations, and

human rights. CA 1. CA 4. Schund-Vials

AMST 3201. Introduction to Asian American Studies

(Also offered as AASI 3201.) Three credits. Prerequisite: Open to juniors or higher. Machida

A multidisciplinary introduction to major themes in Asian American Studies. Concepts of

identity and community, migration and labor histories, Asians and the law, representations of

Asians in visual and popular culture, gender issues, interracial and interethnic relations, and

human rights. CA 1. CA 4. Schund-Vials


AASI 2201. Introduction to Asian American Studies

(Also offered as AMST 2201.) Three credits.

A multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary introduction to major themes in Asian American

Studies. Concepts of identity and community, migration and labor histories, Asians and the law,

representations of Asians in visual and popular culture, gender issues, interracial and interethnic

relations, and human rights. CA 1. CA 4.

AMST 2201. Introduction to Asian American Studies

(Also offered as AASI 2201.) Three credits.

A multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary introduction to major themes in Asian American

Studies. Concepts of identity and community, migration and labor histories, Asians and the law,

representations of Asians in visual and popular culture, gender issues, interracial and interethnic

relations, and human rights. CA 1. CA 4.

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D. HEJS 1103 Literature and Civilization of the Jewish People (#7872) [Revise title and

description]


HEJS 1103. Literature and Civilization of the Jewish People

(Formerly offered as HEB and JUDS 1103.) Three credits. Taught in English. May not be used

to meet the foreign language requirement. Miller

The major concepts, personalities and literary works of the Hebraic tradition from the Biblical

and Talmudic periods to the present. CA 1. CA 4.


HEJS 1103. Who Are the Jews? Jewish Identity through the Ages

Three credits. Taught in English. Miller

The major concepts, personalities and literary works that inform Jewish identity from the

Biblical and Talmudic periods to the present. CA 1. CA 4.

III. The Senate Curricula and Courses Committee recommends approval to DELETE the

following 1000- or 2000-level courses:

A. PHYS 2502 Laboratory in Electricity, Magnetism, and Mechanics (#8999)

IV. The General Education Oversight Committee and the Senate Curricula and Courses

Committee recommend the following course for inclusion in Content Area 3 – Science and

Technology, Lab:

A. MCB 1200 Virus Hunter (#8176)

V. The General Education Oversight Committee and the Senate Curricula and Courses

Committee recommend the following 3000- or 4000-level courses for inclusion in the

Writing (W) Competency:

A. MCB 3842W Current Investigations in Cancer Cell Biology (#7031)


MCB 3842W. Current Investigations in Cancer Cell Biology

Three credits. Prerequisite: ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011; MCB 2000 or 2210 or 3010

Mechanisms involved in cancer initiation, promotion, and progression: cancer genomes,

epigenetic regulation of gene expression and reprogramming, cancer stem cells, alterations in

cell signaling networks, cancer cell bioenergetics, environmental exposures and xenobiotic

metabolism, development of resistance to therapeutics.

B. MCB 3845W Microbial Diversity, Ecology and Evolution (#7032)


MCB 3845W. Microbial Diversity, Ecology and Evolution

Three credits. Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011; BIOL 1107. Recommended

preparation: MCB 2610.

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Readings from the scientific literature will provide a focus for investigating the mechanisms and

strategies for the exchange of genetic information, as well as the impact of gene transfer on

environmental adaptation and evolution.

VI. The General Education Oversight Committee and the Senate Curricula and Courses

Committee recommend revision the following 3000- or 4000-level courses in the Writing

(W) Competency:

A. MCB 3841W Research Literature in Molecular and Cell Biology (#6026) [Revise pre-reqs]


MCB 3841W. Research Literature in Molecular and Cell Biology

Three credits. Prerequisite: ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011; open only with consent of instructor.

Recommended preparation: one 2000-level course in MCB. With a change in content, may be

repeated for credit.

Discussion of current research in molecular and cell biology.


MCB 3841W. Research Literature in Molecular and Cell Biology

Three credits. Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011; MCB course prerequisites vary by

section. Open only with consent of instructor. With a change in content, may be repeated for

credit.

Discussion of current research in molecular and cell biology.

B. WGSS 3217W Women, Gender and Film (#5790) [Level change to 2000; add W version]


WGSS 3217. Women and Film

(Formerly offered as WS 3217.) Three credits. Prerequisite: Any 1000 or 2000-level WGSS

course or instructor consent.

Feminist analysis of film. Investigates women’s roles as filmmakers, writers, editors, and

actresses, as well as messages communicated to female viewers.


WGSS 2217. Women, Gender and Film

(Formerly offered as WS 3217 and WGSS 3217.) Three credits. Examines intersectional

identities of gender, race, and sexuality depicted in film through feminist analysis.

WGSS 2217W. Women, Gender and Film

Three credits. Prerequisite: ENGL 1010 or 1011 or 2011.

VII. The University Interdisciplinary Courses Committee recommends revision of the following

3000- and 4000-level courses:

A. AIRF 3000-3200 Air Force Studies III (#6551) [Revise course title and description]


AIRF 3000-3200. Air Force Studies III

First semester: AIRF 3000. Second semester: AIRF 3200. Three credits each semester. One class

period, and a 2-hour leadership seminar. Prerequisite: AIRF 1200 and 2200, or six weeks field

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training; open only with consent of instructor. May not be taken concurrently with AIRF 4000–

4200.

Management fundamentals, motivational processes, leadership, group dynamics, organizational

power, managerial strategy. Development of communication skills.


AIRF 3000-3200. Leading People and Effective Communication

Fall semester: AIRF 3000. Spring semester: AIRF 3200. Three credits each semester. One class

period and a two-hour laboratory. Prerequisite: AIRF 1200 and 2200, or six weeks field training;

open only with the consent of instructor.

Advanced skills and knowledge in management and leadership. Special emphasis on enhancing

leadership skills and communication.

B. AIRF 4000-4200 Air Force Studies IV (#6552) [Revise course title and description]


AIRF 4000-4200. Air Force Studies IV

First semester: AIRF 4000 Second semester: AIRF 4200. Three credits each semester. One class

period, and a 2-hour leadership seminar. Prerequisite: AIRF 3000–3200; open only with consent

of instructor.

May not be taken concurrently with AIRF 3000–3200. American civil-military relations, defense

policy formulation, role of the professional officer, military justice system, Air Force

Commands.


AIRF 4000-4200. National Security Affairs/Preparation for Active Duty

Fall semester: AIRF 4000. Spring semester: AIRF 4200. Three credits each semester. One class

period and a two-hour laboratory. Prerequisite: AIRF 3000–3200; open only with the consent of

instructor.

Role of military officers in American society; sophisticated overview of the complex social and

political issues facing the military profession.

Respectfully Submitted by the 18-19 Senate Curricula and Courses Committee: Pam Bedore (Chair),

Ama Appiah (student rep), Michael Bradford, Daniel Burkey, John Chandy, Mark Brand, Michael Ego,

Kate Fuller, Marc Hatfield, David Ouimette, Lauren Schlesselman (Ex-Officio), Eric Schultz, Gina

Stuart

From the 11/7/18 meeting

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Proposal to revise the Senate By-Laws, Rules and Regulations on General

Education

Background: The current language on General Education is 1) inappropriate in scope or in tone

for the document; 2) has some unfortunate word choices; 3) needs to be updated to reflect current

practice; and, 4) needs to be updated to incorporate proposed changes in policy, the elimination

of Computer Competency, and the addition of Environmental Literacy.

Proposed Motion: The General Education Oversight Committee, the Senate Curricula and

Courses Committee, with the assistance of the Senate Scholastic Standards Committee, propose

that the following changes be made to the Senate By-Laws, Rules and Regulations II.C.2. In

marked-up existing language, deletions are marked by strikethrough and additions are marked by

underline. Marked-up old version is followed by a clean unmarked version, section by section.

Footnotes in clean version provide information where there is a proposed change in policy.

Marked-up existing language:

2. General Education CurriculumRequirements

The General Education Curriculum providesRequirements are effective commencing the

2005-2006 academic breadth with a set of intellectually rigorous and challenging courses.

year. Continuing students who are under prior catalogs will be governed by the previous

General Education Requirements, which are detailed in those catalogs. Every

undergraduate student in a baccalaureate degree program in the University, on all

campuses, must complete the General Education Curriculum. Thefulfill the General

Education Curriculum comprisesRequirements. Students are encouraged to spread these

minimum requirements over the years of baccalaureate studies, and to plan their courses

of study, with the help of an advisor, early in their first year.

The purpose of General Education is to ensure that all University of Connecticut

undergraduate students become articulate and acquire intellectual breadth and versatility,

critical judgment, moral sensitivity, awareness of their era and society, consciousness of

the diversity of human culture and experience, and a working understanding of the

processes by which they can continue to acquire and use knowledge. It is vital to the

accomplishment of the University’s mission that a balance between professional and

general education be established and maintained in which each is complementary to and

compatible with the other.

General Education Requirements are described in terms of four content areas, and five

four competencies, and Environmental Literacy.

Proposed new language:

2. General Education Curriculum

The General Education Curriculum provides academic breadth with a set of intellectually

rigorous and challenging courses. Every undergraduate student in a baccalaureate degree

program in the University, on all campuses, must complete the General Education

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Curriculum. The General Education Curriculum comprises four content areas, four

competencies, and Environmental Literacy1.


a. Content Areas

Students must pass at leastwill be required to take six credits of coursework in

each of four content areas:in Content Area One – Arts and Humanities; six credits

in Content Area Two – Social Sciences; six to seven credits in Content Area

Three – Science and Technology; and, six credits in Content Area Four –

Diversity and Multiculturalism. Content Area courses may be counted toward the

major.

Students must pass at least seven content area courses of at least three credits for a

total of at least 21 credits. However, up to three credits of repeatable one-credit

courses may be included in Content Areas One and Four.

The courses fulfilling the Content Areas One, Two, and Three requirements must

representbe drawn from at least six different subjects as designated by the subject

letter code (e.g., ANTH or WGSSPVS). The courses within each of these content

areas must be from two different subjects. Content Area courses may be counted

toward the major.

Normally, the six credits required as a minimum for each Content Area will be

met by two three-credit courses. However, in Content Area One and Content

Area Four (including Content Area Four International), repeatable one-credit

courses may be included. Students may use no more than three credits of such

courses to meet the requirement.

In Content Area Three, one of the courses must be a laboratory course of at least

four or more credits. However, this laboratory requirement is waived for students

who have passed a hands-on laboratory science course in the biological and/or

physical sciences. In Content Area Four, at least three credits shall address issues

of diversity and/or multiculturalism outside of the United States.

For all Content Areas, there can be multiple designations. An individual course

may be approved for and count for one Content Area, two Content Areas, or three

Content Areas if one of the three is Content Area 4.

No more than six INTD credits may be used to complete the General Education

Curriculum.courses, whenever possible, should include elements of diversity.

1 The GEOC approved elimination of the Computer Technology Competency on 30 March 2016, and the addition of

Environmental Literacy on 5 February 2018.

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a. Content Areas

Students must pass at least six credits of coursework in each of four content areas:

Content Area One – Arts and Humanities; Content Area Two – Social Sciences;

Content Area Three – Science and Technology; and, Content Area Four –

Diversity and Multiculturalism. Content Area courses may be counted toward the

major.

Students must pass at least seven content area courses of at least three credits for a

total of at least 21 credits. However, up to three credits of repeatable one-credit

courses may be included in Content Areas One and Four.

The courses fulfilling Content Areas One, Two, and Three must represent at least

six different subjects as designated by subject code (e.g., ANTH or WGSS). The

courses within each of these content areas must be from two different subjects. In

Content Area Three, one of the courses must be a laboratory course of at least

four credits. However, this laboratory requirement is waived for students who

have passed a laboratory course in the biological and/or physical sciences. In

Content Area Four, at least three credits shall address issues of diversity and/or

multiculturalism outside of the United States.

An individual course may be approved for and count for one Content Area, two

Content Areas, or three Content Areas if one of the three is Content Area 4. An

EL course may be approved for and count for one Content Area or two Content

Areas if one is Content Area 4.

No more than six INTD credits may be used to complete the General Education

Curriculum.


b. Competencies

The General Education Curriculum includes competencies in information literacy,

quantitative skills, second language proficiency, and writing. The coursework

required to demonstrate Information Literacy is established by each major field of

study. Quantitative Literacy is established by completing two courses that are

designated for this purpose as Q courses. One Q course must be a MATH or

STAT course. Second Language competency is established by passing either 1)

the third-year high school level course in a language other than English or 2) the

second semester course in the first-year sequence of college level study in a

language other than English. Writing competency is established by passing two

courses that are designated for this purpose as W courses, one of which must be in

the major field of study at the 2000-level or above. First-year writing courses are

prerequisites for W courses.

The University of Connecticut places a high value on the ability of its

undergraduates to demonstrate competency in five fundamental areas – computer

technology, writing, quantitative skills, second language proficiency, and

information literacy. The development of these competencies rests on establishing

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clear expectations for students both at entrance and upon graduation, and on

constructing a framework so that our students can reach these competencies.

The structure of each competency involves two parts: one establishing entry-level

expectations and the second establishing graduation expectations. The entry-level

expectations apply to all incoming students.

c. Environmental Literacy

Students must pass at least one course of at least three credits in Environmental

Literacy. Environmental Literacy courses are designated for this purpose as E

courses. Environmental Literacy courses may be counted towards the major.


b. Competencies2

The General Education Curriculum includes competencies in information literacy,

quantitative skills, second language proficiency, and writing. The coursework

required to demonstrate Information Literacy is established by each major field of

study. Quantitative Literacy is established by completing two courses that are

designated for this purpose as Q courses. One Q course must be a MATH or

STAT course. Second Language competency is established by passing either 1)

the third-year high school level course in a language other than English or 2) the

second semester course in the first-year sequence of college level study in a

language other than English. Writing competency is established by passing two

courses that are designated for this purpose as W courses, one of which must be in

the major field of study at the 2000-level or above. First-year writing courses are

prerequisites for W courses.

c. Environmental Literacy3

Students must pass at least one course of at least three credits in Environmental

Literacy. Environmental Literacy courses are designated for this purpose as E

courses. Environmental Literacy courses may be counted towards the major.


cd. Principles for the General Education CurriculumCourses

The General Education curriculum should entail a breadth of academic experience

for all students, while at the same time providing an intellectually rigorous and

challenging set of courses.

In Content Area Groups One, Two and Three, General Education courses cannot

have prerequisites except for other General Education courses. Courses in

Content Area Four may also have prerequisites outside of General Education

courses.

Each department or School and College may propose courses for any of the four

Content Areas. All courses approved for the General Education Requirements

2 Language concerning entrance and exit expectations has been eliminated. 3 Senate approved addition of Environmental Literacy component on February 5, 2018

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must be valid for all Schools and Colleges of the University of Connecticut in

meeting the University General Education Requirements. This in no way inhibits

the various Schools, Colleges, departments or programs from setting up additional

internal requirements, and allows for courses to be used by a student to satisfy

simultaneously University General Education Requirements and requirements for

the School, College, and/or major.

General Education courses should be delivered by faculty members. Whenever

possible, class sizes should be limited to permit direct interactions between

students and faculty.

All courses offered for General Education credit must be approved by the General

Education Oversight Committee (GEOC; see II.C.2.de, Oversight and

Implementation).

Courses in Content Areas One, Two and Three may have only General Education

courses as prerequisites and corequisites, excepting Honors courses for which

Honors student status may be a prerequisite. Courses in Content Area Four,

Environmental Literacy, and Writing Competency, may have prerequisites and

corequisites that are not General Education courses.

Any academic unit may offer courses for any Content Area or Competency and

for Environmental Literacy. Courses approved for the General Education

Curriculum are approved for content areas or competencies in all Schools and

Colleges.

A course may be approved to satisfy one Content Area, two Content Areas, or

three Content Areas if one of the three is Content Area 4. Students may use a

course that has multiple Content Area designations to fulfill the Content Area

requirements for which the course has been approved, if the regulations listed in

II.C.2.a. Content Areas are met. An Environmental Literacy course may be

approved for and count for one Content Area or two Content Areas if one is

Content Area 4. Courses at the 2000-level or above may combine Quantitative

and Writing Competency designations. Courses with Quantitative and/or Writing

Competency designations may also be approved for Content Areas and/or

Environmental Literacy.

No academic unit may set enrollment bars or priorities for itstheir own students

for any General Education course, with the following exceptions:

An academic unit may reserve any percentage of seats for its own students

in a 2000-+-level or above W course that is not also approved for a content

area.

An academic unit may reserve a maximum of 50% of capacity for its own

students in any section of a 2000-level course approved for Content Area 4

(Diversity and Multiculturalism) as long as it is not also approved for any

other content area.

While many courses may require both quantitative reasoning and writing, for the

purposes of order and clarity there will be no multiple competency designations

for 1000+-level courses. This in no way should inhibit departments from

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requiring writing in their Q offerings or quantitative analysis in their W courses.

Multiple competency designations, where a single course fulfills both Q and W

requirements, are limited to 2000+-level courses.

University of Connecticut students Students seeking an Additional Degree or a

Double Major must are required to complete each degree’s/major’sthe degrees for

both degrees/majors. Students will also be required to meet the advanced

competency expectations in Computer Technology, Information Literacy and

Writing competency coursework.for each degree/major. If an individual course is

approved forto fill a competency in requirement for both degrees/majors,

passingsuccessful completion of that course will meet that requirement for both

degrees/majors.

All students entering the University of Connecticut or changing Schoolschool or

Collegecollege within the University beginning with the Fall semester 2005 are

expected to complete the General Education curriculum of the academic year in

which they enter the new School or College. Adjustments to coursework for the

Second Language and Quantitative competencies can be made by designees

ofmeet these General Education Requirements. Bearing in mind the principles

outlined in this document, the Dean of the admitting School or College, as well as

by the Academic Adjustments Committee, which will submit a report of such may

make substitutions to the requirements for students who entered higher education

prior to Fall 2005 and on a continuing basis for other students. Each Dean will

submit an annual report summarizing this activity to GEOC by the end of the

Spring semester each year.

Undergraduate students with Bachelor’s degrees from regionally accredited

institutions that have been accredited by regional accreditation agencies (e.g.

NEASC) are exempt from the General Education Requirements.


d. Courses

All courses offered for General Education credit must be approved by the General

Education Oversight Committee (GEOC; see II.C.2.d, Oversight).

Courses in Content Areas One, Two and Three may have only General Education

courses as prerequisites and corequisites, excepting Honors courses for which

Honors student status may be a prerequisite4. Courses in Content Area Four,

Environmental Literacy5, and Writing Competency6, may have prerequisites and

corequisites that are not General Education courses.

Any academic unit may offer courses for any Content Area or Competency and

for Environmental Literacy. Courses approved for the General Education

Curriculum are approved for content areas or competencies in all Schools and

Colleges.

4 Reflects recognized role that some Honors courses play in fulfilling the General Education curriculum of students

in that program. 5 As proposed in the Environmental Literacy implementation motion. 6 Reflecting existing practice for W courses in the major.

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A course may be approved to satisfy one Content Area, two Content Areas, or

three Content Areas if one of the three is Content Area 4. Students may use a

course that has multiple Content Area designations to fulfill the Content Area

requirements for which the course has been approved, if the regulations listed in

II.C.2.a. Content Areas are met7. An Environmental Literacy course may be

approved for and count for one Content Area or two Content Areas if one is

Content Area 48. Courses at the 2000-level or above may combine Quantitative

and Writing Competency designations. Courses with Quantitative and/or Writing

Competency designations may also be approved for Content Areas and/or

Environmental Literacy9.

No academic unit may set enrollment bars or priorities for its own students for

any General Education course, with the following exceptions:

An academic unit may reserve any percentage of seats for its own students

in a 2000-level or above10 W course that is not also approved for a content

area.

An academic unit may reserve a maximum of 50% of capacity for its own

students in any section of a 2000-level or above10 Content Area 4

(Diversity and Multiculturalism) course that is not approved for an

additional content area.

Students seeking an Additional Degree or Double Major must complete each

degree’s/major’s Information Literacy and Writing competency coursework. If an

individual course is approved for a competency in both degrees/majors, passing

that course will meet that requirement for both degrees/majors.

All students entering the University of Connecticut or changing School or College

within the University are expected to complete the General Education curriculum

of the academic year in which they enter the new School or College. Adjustments

to coursework for the Second Language and Quantitative competencies can be

made by designees of the Dean of the School or College, as well as by the

Academic Adjustments Committee, which will submit a report of such

substitutions by the end of the Spring semester each year.

Undergraduate students with Bachelor’s degrees from institutions that have been

accredited by regional accreditation agencies (e.g. NEASC) are exempt from the

General Education Requirements.


de. Oversight and Implementation

The curriculum in degree programs remains vibrant and alive because faculty

members constantly attend to it. They debate what is essential and what is

7 New language that indicates more clearly the conditions under which a student may use multiple designations on

the transcript 8 As proposed in the Environmental Literacy implementation motion. 9 Spelling out existing practice. 10 Reference to the course numbers for which seats may be reserved has been changed to be more inclusive, which

we believe was the intent when references to course numbers were changed to the current 4-digit system.

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optional to a degree program; they assess how the character of individual courses

contributes to the whole; and they consider whether courses are properly

sequenced relative to one another. If a general education curriculum is to avoid

almost instant ossification, it requires a similar level of faculty involvement and

on-going attention.

General Education Requirements will be overseen by a General Education

Oversight Committee (GEOC), a faculty group appointed by the Senate and

representative of the Schools and Colleges. The Committee also will have an

undergraduate and a graduate student representative. The GEOC shall be a

subcommittee of the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee, whose chair will

serve as a non-voting member of GEOC. Representatives, either the Director or

the Associate Director, of each of the W and Q Centers, will also be given non-

voting appointments to GEOC. When Q or W Center Directors or Associate

Directors are GEOC subcommittee chairs, and are members of the University

faculty, they shall retain voting rights in the GEOC. The GEOC will monitor the

General Education curriculum. This Committee will work in association with the

Office of Undergraduate Education and Instruction. Financial support for the

activity of the GEOC will come from the Office of the Provost.

The GEOC will be charged with:

setting the criteria for approving all course proposals for the Content

and Competency Areas;

setting the criteria for entrance and exit requirements for the

Competency Areas;

developing policy regarding the delivery of the University-wide

General Education program;

reviewing and approving courses proposed for inclusion in the

General Education Requirements;

determining the resources necessary to deliver the General Education

Curriculum;

monitoring periodically courses that satisfy General Education

Requirements to ensure that they continue to meet the criteria

adopted by the Senate; and

reviewing the University-wide General Education program to ensure

that its goals are being met and recommending changes to the Senate

Curricula and Courses Committee when appropriate.

The membership of the GEOC shall be representative of the Faculty of all of the

Schools and Colleges and members shall be appointed following current Senate

Nominating Committee practice. While the members and chair shall be proposed

by the Nominating Committee and approved by the Senate, the process of

consultation shall include the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

Because the GEOC is a subcommittee of a Senate committee, the chair need not

be a Senator.The GEOC is a subcommittee of, and reports its actions to, the

Senate Curricula and Courses Committee. The GEOC receives financial support

for its activities from the Office of the Provost.

The GEOC is charged with:

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proposing to the Senate goals and objectives of the Content Areas and

Competencies;

proposing policy regarding the University-wide General Education

program;

reviewing proposals for including, revising, deleting, and offering in

intensive sessions of four weeks or less, courses that are in the General

Education Curriculum;

reporting on enrollment in courses in the General Education Curriculum

and how the courses are staffed;

monitoring courses in the General Education Curriculum to ensure that

they continue to meet curricular goals and objectives approved by the

Senate, and recommending removal of courses from the General

Education Curriculum that no longer meet these criteria; and,

reviewing the General Education Curriculum to ensure that its goals and

objectives are aligned with the academic plan of the University.

The Chair of the GEOC need not be a Senator. The Chair serves one three-year

term and may not be re-appointed for a consecutive term. Responsibilities of the

Chair in leadership of GEOC include management of GEOC meetings,

coordination of all GEOC functions, communication with the University

community about the General Education Curriculum, and recognizing and

responding to the changing needs of the University with respect to the General

Education Curriculum.

The membership of the GEOC will be representative of Schools and Colleges.

Appointment to the GEOC will follow Senate Nominating Committee practice

and will include consultation with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. Voting

members of the GEOC will be faculty appointed by the Senate and an

undergraduate representative. Non-voting members of the GEOC will include the

Chair of the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee, Directors or Associate

Directors of the Quantitative and Writing Centers, and Directors or Associate

Directors of the First-Year Writing Program. When a Director or Associate

Director of these units is a GEOC subcommittee chair and is faculty, they will

retain voting rights in the GEOC.

Terms of aVoting member appointments to the GEOC are forshall be two years,

except in the case of the student member who serveswhere a one-year term. Any

voting member who has served for is appropriate. In addition, one half of the first

group of GEOC members shall be appointed for one year to ensure some overlap

in membership from year to year. Normally, no member shall serve more than

two consecutive terms of two-year terms may years each without leaving the

committee for at least two years. The chair shall serve one three-year term and

shall not be re-appointedfor another consecutive term..

The GEOC appoints members to Content Area, Competency, and Environmental

Literacy subcommittees. Subcommittees are chaired by voting members of the

GEOC, and are representative of Schools and Colleges. Each subcommittee

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ensures that the goals and objectives of their specific General Education

component align with the University Academic Plan and reviews course proposals

for consistency with these criteria.

GEOC approvals of changes to the General Education Curriculum areThe chair of

the GEOC shall be responsible for the management of the General Education

course proposal review process and the continued oversight of the curriculum.

Because of the unusually demanding nature of this position, the chair will be

given 50% release time and be provided with administrative support.

Faculty members involved in General Education have different pedagogical

challenges from those facing instructors in major or graduate courses. These

faculty members should be brought together on a regular basis to collaborate on

issues concerning the delivery of these courses. This can be accomplished by the

chair of the GEOC, who will organize their regular meetings. These meetings will

provide the kind of on-going discussion necessary to keep this part of the

curriculum vibrant and vital.

The GEOC shall establish and appoint members to four Content Area

subcommittees. Each subcommittee will establish the criteria for all courses to be

approved for its respective Area. Each of these subcommittees shall have broad

representation from the Schools and Colleges and should be limited to a workable

number.

The GEOC shall establish and appoint members to five Competency

subcommittees. Each subcommittee will establish and continue to review

entrance and exit expectations for its respective Area. Each of these

subcommittees shall have broad representation from the Schools and Colleges and

should be limited to a workable number.

Once the criteria or any changes to the criteria for each of the Content Areas and

Competencies are developed and accepted by the GEOC, they must be submitted

to the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee and then to the Senate for final

approval.

Courses proposed for General Education, once they have been approved by the

GEOC, will be submitted to the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee for

formal approval and submission to the Senate.

The Senate Budget Committee is charged with determining :

if sufficient seats and resources exist to handle the undergraduate

enrollment;

if academic resources, particularly TA’s to assist in W courses, are

available to meet enrollment demands; and

if the Learning Center has been adequately funded to support the General

Education CurriculumRequirements.


e. Oversight

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The GEOC is a subcommittee of, and reports its actions to, the Senate Curricula

and Courses Committee11. The GEOC receives financial support for its activities

from the Office of the Provost.

The GEOC is charged with12:

proposing to the Senate goals and objectives of the Content Areas and

Competencies;

proposing policy regarding the University-wide General Education

program;

reviewing proposals for including, revising, deleting, and offering in

intensive sessions of four weeks or less13, courses that are in the General

Education Curriculum;

reporting on enrollment in courses in the General Education Curriculum

and how the courses are staffed;

monitoring courses in the General Education Curriculum to ensure that

they continue to meet curricular goals and objectives approved by the

Senate, and recommending removal of courses from the General

Education Curriculum that no longer meet these criteria14; and,

reviewing the General Education Curriculum to ensure that its goals and

objectives are aligned with the academic plan of the University.

The Chair of the GEOC need not be a Senator. The Chair serves one three-year

term and may not be re-appointed for a consecutive term15. Responsibilities of

the Chair in leadership of GEOC include management of GEOC meetings,

coordination of all GEOC functions, communication with the University

community about the General Education Curriculum, and recognizing and

responding to the changing needs of the University with respect to the General

Education Curriculum16.

The membership of the GEOC will be representative of Schools and Colleges.

Appointment to the GEOC will follow Senate Nominating Committee practice

and will include consultation with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. Voting

members of the GEOC will be faculty appointed by the Senate and an

undergraduate representative. Non-voting members of the GEOC will include the

Chair of the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee, Directors or Associate

Directors of the Quantitative and Writing Centers, and Directors or Associate

11 Previous language implied that only proposals for new General Education courses were passed from GEOC to the

Senate Curricula and Courses Committee 12 An item that has been deleted from this list refers to ‘determining the resources necessary to deliver the General

Education Curriculum’, which we felt was outside of GEOC’s expertise and was duplicative of the role of the Senate

Budget Committee, as referred to at the end of the document. 13 Previous language implied that only proposals for new General Education courses were reviewed by GEOC 14 GEOC suggests that recommending removal of courses that no longer align with General Education guidelines

would be an appropriate duty 15 The previous rules were clear on term limits but not clear on whether only one term is permissible 16 This is a more expansive and accurate description of the GEOC Chair’s responsibilities

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Directors of the First-Year Writing Program17. When a Director or Associate

Director of these units is a GEOC subcommittee chair and is faculty, they will

retain voting rights in the GEOC.

Voting member appointments to the GEOC are for two years, except the student

member who serves a one-year term. Any voting member who has served for two

consecutive two-year terms may not be re-appointed for another consecutive

term18.

The GEOC appoints members to Content Area, Competency, and Environmental

Literacy subcommittees. Subcommittees are chaired by voting members of the

GEOC19, and are representative of Schools and Colleges. Each subcommittee

ensures that the goals and objectives of their specific General Education

component align with the University Academic Plan and reviews course proposals

for consistency with these criteria.

GEOC approvals of changes to the General Education Curriculum are submitted

to the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee and then to the Senate for final

approval.

The Senate Budget Committee is charged with determining if sufficient resources

are available to support the General Education Curriculum.

17 We propose the addition of First-Year Writing directors to the set of non-voting ex officio members of the GEOC 18 This permits a shorter hiatus than previous rules 19 This had not previously been made clear but has been the practice

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Proposal to revise the Senate By-Laws, Rules and Regulations on General Education

BackgroundThe current language on General Education is

1) inappropriate in scope or in tone for the document; 2) has some unfortunate word choices; 3) needs to be updated to reflect current practice; and, 4) needs to be updated to incorporate proposed changes in

policy, the elimination of Computer Competency, and the addition of Environmental Literacy.

MotionThe General Education Oversight Committee, the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee, with the assistance of the Senate Scholastic Standards Committee, propose that the following changes be made to the Senate By-Laws, Rules and Regulations II.C.2.

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Rules and Regulations Revisions Rampage

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2. General Education CurriculumThe General Education Curriculum provides academic breadth with a set of intellectually rigorous and challenging courses. Every undergraduate student in a baccalaureate degree program in the University, on all campuses, must complete the General Education Curriculum. The General Education Curriculum comprises four content areas, four competencies, and Environmental Literacy.(Expunges odious word ‘Requirement’ where possible, eliminates computer competency, adds Environmental Literacy, deletes recommendations such as ‘Students are encouraged’ here and elsewhere; deletes ‘purpose of General Education’ criteria)a. Content AreasStudents must pass at least six credits of coursework in each of four content areas: Content Area One – Arts and Humanities; Content Area Two – Social Sciences; Content Area Three – Science and Technology; and, Content Area Four – Diversity and Multiculturalism. Content Area courses may be counted toward the major.

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a. Content Areas (cont’d)Students must pass at least seven content area courses of at least three credits for a total of at least 21 credits. However, up to three credits of repeatable one-credit courses may be included in Content Areas One and Four. The courses fulfilling Content Areas One, Two, and Three must represent at least six different subjects as designated by subject code (e.g., ANTH or WGSS). The courses within each of these content areas must be from two different subjects. In Content Area Three, one of the courses must be a laboratory course of at least four credits. However, this laboratory requirement is waived for students who have passed a laboratory course in the biological and/or physical sciences. In Content Area Four, at least three credits shall address issues of diversity and/or multiculturalism outside of the United States. (Simplifications, clarifications, rearrangements, here and elsewhere)

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a. Content Areas (cont’d)An individual course may be approved for and count for one Content Area, two Content Areas, or three Content Areas if one of the three is Content Area 4. An EL course may be approved for and count for one Content Area or two Content Areas if one is Content Area 4.No more than six INTD credits may be used to complete the General Education Curriculum.(Note mistaken inclusion of a paragraph whose content has been moved to a later section)

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b. CompetenciesThe General Education Curriculum includes competencies in information literacy, quantitative skills, second language proficiency, and writing. The coursework required to demonstrate Information Literacy is established by each major field of study. Quantitative Literacy is established by completing two courses that are designated for this purpose as Q courses. One Q course must be a MATH or STAT course. Second Language competency is established by passing either 1) the third-year high school level course in a language other than English or 2) the second semester course in the first-year sequence of college level study in a language other than English. Writing competency is established by passing two courses that are designated for this purpose as W courses, one of which must be in the major field of study at the 2000-level or above. First-year writing courses are prerequisites for W courses.(Deletes philosophical language such as ‘places a high value on’ here and elsewhere, eliminates entry- and graduation-level expectations)

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c. Environmental LiteracyStudents must pass at least one course of at least three credits in Environmental Literacy. Environmental Literacy courses are designated for this purpose as E courses. Environmental Literacy courses may be counted towards the major.(Establishes EL as category distinct from Content Areas and Competencies)

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d. CoursesAll courses offered for General Education credit must be approved by the General Education Oversight Committee (GEOC; see II.C.2.d, Oversight). Courses in Content Areas One, Two and Three may have only General Education courses as prerequisites and corequisites, excepting Honors courses for which Honors student status may be a prerequisite. Courses in Content Area Four, Environmental Literacy , and Writing Competency , may have prerequisites and corequisitesthat are not General Education courses. (Renames the section; clarifies prerequisites for Honors courses and W in the major courses; add EL implementation)

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d. Courses (cont’d)Any academic unit may offer courses for any Content Area or Competency and for Environmental Literacy. Courses approved for the General Education Curriculum are approved for content areas or competencies in all Schools and Colleges.(Deletes ‘This in no way inhibits the various Schools, Colleges, departments or programs from setting up additional internal requirements’ language)

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d. Courses (cont’d)A course may be approved to satisfy one Content Area, two Content Areas, or three Content Areas if one of the three is Content Area 4. Students may use a course that has multiple Content Area designations to fulfill the Content Area requirements for which the course has been approved, if the regulations listed in II.C.2.a. Content Areas are met. An Environmental Literacy course may be approved for and count for one Content Area or two Content Areas if one is Content Area 4. Courses at the 2000-level or above may combine Quantitative and Writing Competency designations. Courses with Quantitative and/or Writing Competency designations may also be approved for Content Areas and/or Environmental Literacy . (Clarification of conditions permitting use of multiple designations on the transcript; add EL implementation; spells out existing practice of combining content area and competency designations)

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d. Courses (cont’d)No academic unit may set enrollment bars or priorities for its own students for any General Education course, with the following exceptions:

An academic unit may reserve any percentage of seats for its own students in a 2000-level or above W course that is not also approved for a content area. An academic unit may reserve a maximum of 50% of capacity for its own students in any section of a 2000-level or above Content Area 4 (Diversity and Multiculturalism) course that is not approved for an additional content area.

(Changes a course number reference to reflect what we believe to have been intent)

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d. Courses (cont’d)Students seeking an Additional Degree or Double Major must complete each degree’s/major’s Information Literacy and Writing competency coursework. If an individual course is approved for a competency in both degrees/majors, passing that course will meet that requirement for both degrees/majors.All students entering the University of Connecticut or changing School or College within the University are expected to complete the General Education curriculum of the academic year in which they enter the new School or College. Adjustments to coursework for the Second Language and Quantitative competencies can be made by designees of the Dean of the School or College, as well as by the Academic Adjustments Committee, which will submit a report of such substitutions by the end of the Spring semester each year.

(Identifies role of Academic Adjustment Committee)

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e. OversightThe GEOC is a subcommittee of, and reports its actions to, the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee. The GEOC receives financial support for its activities from the Office of the Provost. The GEOC is charged with:

proposing to the Senate goals and objectives of the Content Areas and Competencies; proposing policy regarding the University-wide General Education program;reviewing proposals for including, revising, deleting, and offering in intensive sessions of four weeks or less, courses that are in the General Education Curriculum;

(Clarifies that GEOC reports all actions to SENCCC; eliminates ‘determining the resources necessary’ from the charge; clarifies that GEOC reviews more than just new course proposals)

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e. Oversight (cont’d)reporting on enrollment in courses in the General Education Curriculum and how the courses are staffed;monitoring courses in the General Education Curriculum to ensure that they continue to meet curricular goals and objectives approved by the Senate, and recommending removal of courses from the General Education Curriculum that no longer meet these criteria; and,reviewing the General Education Curriculum to ensure that its goals and objectives are aligned with the academic plan of the University.

(Suggests that GEOC should be empowered to remove courses from the General Education curriculum if the course does not align with the guidelines of the curriculum)

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e. Oversight (cont’d)The Chair of the GEOC need not be a Senator. The Chair serves one three-year term and may not be re-appointed for a consecutive term. Responsibilities of the Chair in leadership of GEOC include management of GEOC meetings, coordination of all GEOC functions, communication with the University community about the General Education Curriculum, and recognizing and responding to the changing needs of the University with respect to the General Education Curriculum.

(Clarifies term limit for chair; provides more complete description of chair’s duties)

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e. Oversight (cont’d)The membership of the GEOC will be representative of Schools and Colleges. Appointment to the GEOC will follow Senate Nominating Committee practice and will include consultation with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. Voting members of the GEOC will be faculty appointed by the Senate and an undergraduate representative. Non-voting members of the GEOC will include the Chair of the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee, Directors or Associate Directors of the Quantitative and Writing Centers, and Directors or Associate Directors of the First-Year Writing Program. When a Director or Associate Director of these units is a GEOC subcommittee chair and is faculty, they will retain voting rights in the GEOC.

(Adds First-Year Writing directors to the set of non-voting ex officio members of the GEOC)

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e. Oversight (cont’d)Voting member appointments to the GEOC are for two years, except the student member who serves a one-year term. Any voting member who has served for two consecutive two-year terms may not be re-appointed for another consecutive term.The GEOC appoints members to Content Area, Competency, and Environmental Literacy subcommittees. Subcommittees are chaired by voting members of the GEOC, and are representative of Schools and Colleges. Each subcommittee ensures that the goals and objectives of their specific General Education component align with the University Academic Plan and reviews course proposals for consistency with these criteria.

(Permits reappointment of voting member after a shorter hiatus; clarifies that voting members are chairs of subcommittees)

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e. Oversight (cont’d)GEOC approvals of changes to the General Education Curriculum are submitted to the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee and then to the Senate for final approval. The Senate Budget Committee is charged with determining if sufficient resources are available to support the General Education Curriculum.

(No substantive changes)

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Senate Presentation/Speaking Notes/Anne Langley, Dean, UConn Library - December 3, 2018

I arrived in February and in the past ten months I have spent most of my time getting acquainted with UConn – both the larger community of UConn and the internal workings of the Library. I have visited all of the regionals, UConn Health and Law. I have met with more than 50 administrators and university officials, and I recently completed one-on-one walks with every permanent staff member in the library.

Going into each of these interactions, I have considered my conversations within a frame of rethinking our approaches to how we do our work, how we engage with our community, and how we plan for the future. This is one of the reasons I was hired.

We are an integral part of the scholarly process, which is also why the position I hold is as the Dean of the Library, a move the University made from the previous Vice Provost position. I believe that the library is three things: [SLIDE] An entity that manages the intellectual and scholarly output of the University Space to theorize and think Employs professionals who understand the world of information and how to make it accessible More specifically we obtain, make available, and preserve in all and any formats the resources faculty, students, and researchers need to conduct research, learn, and support the curricula.

We provide the only building on a university campus whose purpose is to provide primarily students, and especially undergraduates, a place to synthesize, analyze, and interact with information of all kinds. Students can and do study in all sorts of places, but the library is the only place whose purpose is for that interaction with information: an open and inclusive zone where any and all knowledge is available for inquiry.

And finally, we Teach scholars how to understand the shape of information and how best to find, use, and manipulate information resources, manage their own production of scholarly information—including copyright and open access – and become proficient and efficient information seekers and synthesizers. (The state of things) Like other areas of the university, there have been reductions in staff and the Library has not been spared. I knew this when I took the position and have made it an early focus to make a case for our hiring plan.

Some raw numbers – for staffing levels in Storrs and the regionals only, these have decreased 30% from 102 in 2013 to 71 today, if you go back two more years to 2011, we had 110 total staff, which is a 40% difference from today. The numbers are significant, but don’t tell the full story. The uneven balance of where the vacancies are has left holes in very strategic units, and other entire areas of library work unsupported. These include in particular subject coverage by liaison librarians, professional metadata librarians, and digital resources support and in particular software programming for better or any, user access to library resources.

As a result of the staff shifting, we have prioritized our hiring plan to focus on key positions first, for example we are completing the search for an Associate Dean for Library Administration. This plan will allow us to fill key positions that can help strategize for the next series of hiring. I have been working with our HR person to streamline the search process, getting it down to 12 weeks from posting a position to making an offer, and as needed including university partners in the process of job description design and as part of the interviewing.

The flip side of this high rate of churn is that it affords the Library an opportunity to address the changing landscapes in higher education, research libraries, and at UConn and ask ourselves the question, ‘what is the right library for UConn now and into the future?’ [slide]

We have begun the strategic planning process where we will be asking where is UConn now? Where is UConn going? How do we support it? We have established our values, have begun to plan out organizational development goals, and are moving ahead.

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Additionally, due to the state budget situation, we have delayed, briefly, the next steps of renovations to Homer Babbidge. While we look forward to exciting changes, this pause allows us to include our strategic plan in the design process. Ultimately I would like to present two strategic scenarios in the document - Both - what we can achieve with the staffing and resource levels we have now, or what we can do with optimal staffing and resources.

Around all of the changes and strategic planning, the staff are hard at work supporting faculty research and student learning. We have been able to refill some key positions, including a new Associate University Librarian for Academic Engagement, a Head of Archives & Special Collections, an archivist to focus on the newly acquired Maurice Sendak Collection[slide], a conservator for our collections, and a head of our acquisitions and discovery unit.

We continue to work on key programs and strategic efforts including the [slide] Greenhouse Studios, the Maker Studio, and providing resources for faculty to use for students in the course management system through our Research Now guides. We continue to put efforts into educating UConn on the value of open educational resources. We have been working on a proposal to the Senate Executive Counsel that the Provost may use to charge a faculty/librarian Open Access Task Force which will work on formalizing an OA policy for faculty and possibly others. I have been leading the new UConn Collections Council, which is a cross-campus initiative to elevate all of the collection resources across the university. That includes finding ways to market ourselves both internally and externally and find ways to support each other through resource and information sharing. We are also celebrating the five year anniversary of the CT Digital Archive which has grown from 28k to over a million objects from 32 community partners from across the state, including the Wadsworth Atheneum, CT Historical Society, the state library and Eastern CT State to name a few.

[slide] These are just a few of the major activities we have underway, and I am looking forward to hearing from you, and working with you, inside and beyond this group, to help us become the Right Library for UConn. Questions?

UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING DECEMBER 3, 2018 ROME …...Schultz PRESENTATION on a motion to amend the...

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